The Carlene Dobber Show
by Dr. Michaela Quinn
Summary: Based on the idea in the episode "Carlene's Apartment" where Carlene has her own TV show. The ladies act on the show.
1. Mary Jo Gets Fired

The stage lights came on. The theme song played and Carlene walked out smiling and waving.

"Cut!" The director hollered. Carlene walked off the stage and walked to where Julia, Mary Jo, Allison, and Anthony were standing.

"Carlene, I appreciate you wanting us to be in your life story but I'm a decorator. I'm not an actor!" Mary Jo exclaimed.

"Let me out of here. This is ridiculous." Allison said walking away.

"I'm here for you Carlene." Anthony said.

"Thanks Anthony." Carlene replied smiling. An assistant walked over to her.

"Miss Dobber. They need you over there again." He said. Carlene sighed.

"Carlene, I don't think we have ever told you how proud we are of you that you have your own show." Mary Jo said.

"Thanks." Carlene replied. She smiled and then walked out as the theme song played again.

"Why am I on this show?" Julia asked. "I can't do this." Allison laughed.

"You can't Julia. I don't think so." Allison replied.

"What possessed me to close Sugarbakers to make this show?" Julia questioned.

"Because we all love Carlene." Mary Jo said. "And because Charlene told us to take care of her baby sister. I couldn't let her come out to California all by herself. I had no strings holding me down. Claudia is in college and Quinton lives with his dad until we get home. Anthony walked over.

"Have you guys read this week's script?" Anthony asked.

"No, why?" Julia asked.

"Well you have a dream about Reese, Mary Jo meets her husband and Carlene finds me in bed with Allison!" Anthony exclaimed.

"That's in your dreams Anthony!" Allison laughed. The director walked over.

"Ms. Sugarbaker, Miss Shively, we need you to be ready to go on in five seconds." He said. After if felt like no time the women were instructed to go onto the stage. The bright lights blinded them. Mary Jo was surprised how much the set looked like Julia's house.

"This is amazing Julia. I don't believe how much this resembles the store." Mary Jo said.

"CUT!" The director hollered and rushed over to Mary Jo. "The cameras are rolling. Stick to the script, Ms. Shively!"

"I didn't realize." Mary Jo started.

"Now you do." He responded. "Take two!" The women were pushed into the room again and fed their first two lines. They walked over to Carlene.

"Hi… Hi Car-Carlene. How've you been?" Mary Jo asked stumbling over her words. The assistant director walked over to her.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"I'm just nervous." Mary Jo explained.

"Get me Sarandon." The director said into her ear piece. "Come on Ms. Shively." She helped her off the stage and into the audience seats. A few minutes later Julia and Susan Sarandon were talking to Carlene. They recorded the entire scene before they took a break. When they broke for lunch Mary Jo walked over to Julia, Carlene and Susan.

"Hi Julia." Mary Jo said from behind her. She turned around.

"Oh hi." Julia replied. Susan looked at her.

"Carlene here told me that this is your lives that you're acting on this stage. I'm honored to play out your life on television." Susan said.

"Thank you." Mary Jo replied.

"Have you seen Patrick Fabian yet?" Susan asked.

"Who?" Carlene asked.

"He is going to play the man who sweeps down and takes Mary Jo's breath away." Susan replied.

"Oh." Carlene responded quietly. Mary Jo went in search of Anthony. She found him outside the studio.

"Hi Anthony." Mary Jo said.

"Hi Mary Jo." Anthony replied.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked.

"I just wanted some fresh air." Anthony replied.

"I know what you mean. I am considering going home. Back to Atlanta. I miss my kids." Mary Jo crossed her arms.

"I'm sorry Mary Jo. It has to be hard being this far from Quinton and Claudia." Anthony said.

"Yeah, well I just lost my job to Susan Sarandon; so I'm going back to Atlanta for right now. I don't know if they want me back and I don't think I want to come back." Mary Jo replied. She walked away from the studio, got in her car and drove away hastily.


	2. Family

Mary Jo was glad to be home with her family. The show was incredibly stressful on her the last few months. Quint and Claudia had been living with their father and she'd missed them terribly. Quint hugged her when she walked through the front door.

"Hi mom!" He exclaimed. She hugged him tightly. It was nice that Quint would hug her, even at the age of twelve.

"Hey Quint."

"How long are you here for this time?" He asked sitting on the couch.

"I'm home for good." Ted walked into the room.

"Hey Mary Jo."

"Ted."

"We were about to sit and watch TV. Want to join us?"

"It's how I get to see you every week. Did you get my letter on the set?" Mary Jo nodded and kissed his cheek.

"I did. Thank you," she sighed, "I didn't reply because I knew I'd be coming home." They heard the theme song and she sat down.

"Are you in this episode mom?"

"I wasn't there at all last week, so I think the last episode was my last one Quint."

"Okay." The phone rang.

"Hello?" Ted asked picking it up. "She's here if you want to talk to her," he turned to her, "Mary Jo, it's Claudia." She rushed over to grab the phone.

"Hi Claudia!"

"Mom? What are you doing at dad's house?"

"I'm picking up your brother. I want Quint to come home if he will." She smiled at him and his eyes widened in delight.

"So you won't be in L.A. anymore?"

"No. I've said my final line. I'm home permanently."

"Maybe I can come home more then." Claudia said.

"That's up to you." Mary Jo was focusing more on her conversation with Claudia than the TV, so she failed to see her replacement.

"I have to go," Claudia stated, "I'll come home next weekend." Mary Jo handed Ted the phone and sat back down on the other side of Quint.

"Where's Tammy?" Mary Jo asked.

"Gone." Quint replied.

"Gone?" Mary Jo questioned.

"We're no longer together. She left within the last month or so."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he paused, "not everybody can put up with me for twelve years like you did. She had a good four years before she gave up."

"Well Ted, you aren't the easiest man to live with." He nodded in agreement.

"Can we watch the show?" Quint asked. They sat back and watched Carlene and Julia on the screen.

"Do you miss it mom?" She wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

"Absolutely not," she replied, "I missed you and your sister."

"We missed you too." In the corner of his eye, Quint saw a red hair woman on the screen.

"Thought you weren't in this one mom." Mary Jo looked at the screen.

"It's not me. That's Susan Sarandon."

"Who's she?" Ted smiled.

"She's a big time movie actor Quint. She's done a lot of films, but I don't think she's done too many TV shows."

"She looks a lot like you."

"That's the point of television. She replaced me, so they want somebody who will look similar to me."

"Okay."

"Do you want to go home after this is over?"

"Yeah." Mary Jo hugged him.

"Decatur's close to home. Did you go to the house much?"

"Only for some of my stuff. I hated going to the house when you weren't home. It felt weird." Mary Jo nodded.

'It felt that way when I went home last night."

"I'm glad you're back." He hugged her and she rested her head against his.

"Me too."

* * *

><p>A few days later, Mary Jo was cleaning the house when the phone rang. She couldn't reach it until the third ring. She was in the linen closet organizing coats and shoes. Finally she answered it.<p>

"Hello?"

"Mary Jo?" A female voice cracked.

"Carlene, is that you?"

"Yeah, we wanted to call and offer you your job back. We need you on the show Mary Jo. I like Susan, but she isn't you." Mary Jo looked around. Luckily Quint was upstairs in his bedroom.

"Carlene, I've missed the time with my family. I'd rather sit and watch the show with Quint than to be on it and away from home."

"Are you sure?"

"I love my son Carlene. The decision has been made."

"Okay, it was nice having you on the show while it lasted."

"I'm sorry Carlene. Los Angeles was not my kind of city."

"It could grow on you."

"You have fun and enjoy it. I prefer being here in Atlanta."

"Well then keep watching," she paused, "I hear we're getting picked up for a second season."

"Wonderful," Mary Jo smiled, "sounds like the Carlene Dobber show is really picking up."

"Yeah, I've been waiting a long time for this." Mary Jo nodded. Carlene had always wanted her name in lights. Now she had it and she has Anthony and Julia to protect her. Allison will drive them all crazy. So Mary Jo can raise her children and know everything's going to be okay. It'll be perfect.

**A/N: Short, but not bad **

**The End **


End file.
